Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1887-08-18
sAM AGE OF HIS LIE. !,

~AN AGE OF HIS LIFE"
Gam, Of Poker Thteh accounts FOR a
Faspuiar Phrase.
ICor. New York Clipper.l
Several years ago I was travelling
for well-known house on commission
only, although my expenses we're paid.
At the time / was almost desperate
for the. want of money. To add to my
woes my wife was very sick, and the
recent death of my mother had taken
every cent I had saved to pay her
funeral expenses. Ny last trip had
been wretched one, end I had sold
only one little bill of goods. At the
same time had made large collections
for the firm on old accounts.
"In my wallet I had little over
81, 900 belonging to the firm. Early in
the evening I had taken several drinks
to cheer me up, and when, q little later,
a game of poker was proposed, I will
ingly made one of the party, recklessly
feeling that if lost my s25 I would
not be much worse off. We started in
at dollar ante and $40 limit, and,
having good luck, I soon ran my small
stake up to 500. Meantime the game
grew hotter and the limit had been
raise to $50, while tho ante grew pro-
portionally. All the players except my
self were men able to lose $1,000 and
never wink even; but of course they
did not know my own straitened cir
cumstances.
"An hour after midnight we agreed
play farewell jackpot and quit Each
man put up $50. which made the pot
$3.50 to start with, as there were five OF
us. The cards were dealt several times
and none of us had openers. At last
the man ahead of me and next to the
dealer opened the pot for fifty-dollar
note. I looked at my cards and found
three aces, but simply stayed not wish
ing to drive the others out. The playe,
on my left, richest man of the party,
saw the opening bet and raised another
fifty. The next two dropped out and
the opener simply called the raise.
Then it was my turn and I hesitated,
for I was in frightful quandary. My
own funds were not sufficient to enable
me to call, and until that moment I had
never thought of using the firms funds.
From dreadful mental struggle ]
was recalled to the fact that must dc
something, by the dealer. saying,
Come, come, x. Say something. ]
want to put up the cards and go to bed.
In moment I formed o plan which
either meant ruin or brighten hopes. ]
unbuttoned my coat, and drawing out
the wallet with the firms money in it.
laid $50 of my employers money on
the table. It was the supreme moment
of my life; it was my first dishonest act
If boyish thefts on orchards don't
count-yet I was as cool as had eve,
been in my existence. The opene,
drew two cards, and. knowing had
him beat, I, too, took two. The
third man took none. His standing
pat made me shudder, for ]
was now looking dishonor il
the face. The original opener scanned
his cards carefully, and then, in con
fident manner, bet $50. That he had
filled I was morally certain; but, hay
ing gone too far to recede, I called him
mechanically, without even looking Al
my draw. Fifty dollars more thar
you, said the player next to me. The
opener hesitated, and then simply
called the last raise. Hopelessly
looked at my draw. The first card was
the two.spot of hearts, and with feel
ing of despair 1 looked at the next. L
was an ace of spades. I knew I haG
drawn to the ace of clubs and the two
red aces. The revulsion of feeling
made me faint, and hastily gulpet
down glass of seltzer near me. Ny
knees knocked together under til,
table, but managed to get out 500
bill and announced that I raised The
pot $50 more. The pat man imme
diately raised me $50. The opener
now laid down his hand, remarkine
that he had no further business in th,
deal. My single opponent looked m,
over carefully and said:
You can bet me $3.50 if YOU wan
to, allowing me the privilege of a lik,
raise I bet him the full $3.50, and h,
promptly raised me like sum. say
this bet and went $3.50 harder. M,
| opponent hesitated and then said good
naturedly:
Enough is as good as feast, and
won't press you too hard, 80 I'll call.
AT the same time he laid down fou
queens and reached for the pot. Whel
] showed my four aces he was the mos
surprised man you ever saw, but with
out word he arose from the table ant
left the room. never touched care
again, for had determined to kill my
self had lost. "-Gor. Ne,D York Clip
per.
TIE DISTRIBUTION OF FOREs.
TREES.
The controlling conditions in the dis
tribution of the forest trees are: first
the characteristics of the species
second, the nature of the soil; third
the chance of distribution of the seed
and, lastly, the assaults of the anima
| anamias whinh oanl lr;nl